Mon Yuck Yu
40 Under 40 Class of 2021
Brooklyn, New York
Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff
Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
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I witnessed firsthand the health care challenges that immigrants face every day: we were denied health care benefits, were refused hospital interpretation and fell into debt. Seeing how immigrant families like mine were isolated from the health care system, I became determined to spend my career dismantling immigrant barriers.
Three words to describe me:
compassion, advocate, listener
The best part of my job:
the ability to work on a grassroots level to assess community needs, hear community member stories, and see the direct impact that I am making.
Something that would surprise others about me:
I am a polyglot fluent in four languages -- English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Spanish -- and albeit, still conversational, in the process of learning Arabic and Tagalog.
At 19 years old, Mon Yuck Yu applied her experiences as a first-generation immigrant to co-found the Academy of Medical & Public Health Services, a nonprofit in the immigrant community of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, that addresses social determinants of health by offering free health and social services. In her current role as executive vice president and chief of staff, she oversees strategic planning, operations, community relations, and development. Among the programs she has spearheaded programs is the Community Health Project, which challenges barriers to care through the coordinated provision of free health, mental health, and social services for uninsured immigrants.Â
During COVID-19, Mon Yuck built a local response network and directed more than $500,000 of emergency relief resources into the community. As a health and immigrant rights advocate, she has been at the forefront of the fight for universal health coverage and vocal against systemic health care inequities. She sits on Test & Trace’s Community Advisory Board, providing guidance on NYC’s COVID-19 response.Â
Mon Yuck received an MPA in urban health policy from Columbia University and a BA from Dartmouth College. She was recognized by City & State New York as a 40 Under 40 non-profit rising star and received the Picker Prize in Public Service from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Â
